Beyond the Basics of Schedule E

Transcription

1 Tax Practice Pro 2364 State Route 17A Goshen, New York Ph: Fax:(845) Beyond the Basics of Schedule E August 29th Novi, Michigan A82BK-T I 2017 Annual Conference We Help Tax Professionals Grow.

2 Beyond the Basics of Schedule E August 29th, 2017 Novi, Michigan IRS Program No. A82BK-T I 2 credit hours of Federal Tax Law Approved for Enrolled Agents & Other Tax Return Preparers Tax Practice Pro, Inc State Route 17A Goshen, NY john@taxpracticepro.com All Tax Practice Pro Inc. products are intended to provide general information about the subject matter covered. They are not meant to provide legal opinions, offer advice, or serve as a substitute for advice by licensed, legal professionals. Our products are sold with the understanding that Tax Practice Pro, Inc. is not engaged in rendering legal or other professional services. Tax Practice Pro Inc. does not warrant that the information in any of our products is complete or accurate, and does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors, inaccuracies or omissions, or usage of these products. Laws and interpretations of those laws change frequently and the subject matter of our products has important legal consequences. If not understood, legal, tax, or other counsel should be consulted. All risk of loss or damage is solely that of the user of our forms and the company disclaims any liability thereof. NOTICE: AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING OF ALL TAX PRACTICE PRO EVENTS IS PROHIBITED 1 August 29, 2017

3 BEYOND THE BASICS OF SCHEDULE E In many cases, the use of page 1 of Schedule E is straightforward: the reporting of a rental-real estate income where the tenant pays fair market value rent. In other cases, the tax professional s use of Schedule E is not appropriate for the situation at hand. This text examines some situations where the completion of Schedule E by the tax professional might not be as straight forward as the situation appears. Due to the brevity of the course, the author concentrates on income items tax professionals sometimes treat incorrectly in filing client tax returns. What is rental income? According to Merriam-Webster 1 : a: a usually fixed periodical return made by a tenant or occupant of property to the owner for the possession and use thereof; especially: an agreed sum paid at fixed intervals by a tenant to the landlord. b: the amount paid by a hirer of personal property to the owner for the use thereof. Schedule E bears the title Supplemental Income and Loss with the subheader From rental real estate, royalties, partnerships, S Corps, estates, trusts, REMICS, etc.). Somehow, the tax professional vernacular has adopted Schedule E as the form for Rental Income a not entirely accurate statement. Certain payments which fit Webster s definition of rent don t meet the internal revenue code definition of rent and some of those payments are not even taxable or reportable August 29, 2017

4 For income tax purposes, rental income includes payments received for the use of real property. Real property is real estate. This can include a house, part of a house, an apartment, condominium, boat, vacant land, a vacation home, office, store front and other similar real property. Payments to include in gross rental income Advance rent includes payments received before the due date. Include these payments in gross income regardless of the period for which the payment is made, or the accounting method used. Examples of this include a first and last months rent payment as well as delinquent payments paid in the year after they are due. Other tenant payments might need to be included in gross rental income. Sometimes a tenant will advance the cost of a repair or maintenance item. When the lease does not require the tenant to make the payment, the payment is gross income to the landlord, and deductible if applicable. As an example, there is a flood at an apartment in the middle of the night. As an emergency issue, the tenant calls a plumber to come and repair the problem. The tenant subsequently pays the plumber and deducts the payment from the next month s rent. The payment is income to the landlord. Barter income also represents gross rental income. Sometimes, a landlord will provide a free or discounted apartment to a tenant, in exchange for superintendent ( super ) services. The value of the forgone rent is included in gross rental income. Required payments a tenant is obligated to make under a lease are often NOT required to be included in the landlord s gross rental income. For example, a lease requires a tenant to clean the carpets in the apartment each spring. These payments would not be included in gross rental income. Payments to break a lease are included in gross income. For example, a client has six months remaining in a lease. The tenant needs to relocate for work purposes and negotiates a lump-sum payment of three month s 3 August 29, 2017

5 rent in exchange for being released from the lease. comprises gross rental income. This payment Retained Security Deposits are considered gross rental income at the time the landlord officially retains the deposit. This often occurs at the end of the lease term, such as when the tenant does not remit the final month s rent, or upon final inspection the landlord determines the property is damaged sufficiently enough to cause the retention of the security deposit. There are other instances when the security deposit might transition to income. For example, if a tenant falls behind in rent payments, a landlord might consider converting part of the security deposit to cover the rent. This conversion represents gross income at the time the parties agree to the conversion. Payments NOT to include in gross rental income Security payments generally are NOT included in gross rental income. To meet this income exception, the landlord needs to plan to return the security deposit at the end of the lease term. Most states have legal requirements for the treatment of security deposits. In certain states, larger landlords are required to segregate the funds into a bank account the tenant holds a financial interest in. Interest earned on the account belongs to the tenant. The 14 day or less rule allows for a taxpayer to exclude from gross income entirely annual rental income of 14 days or less. This applies to both your primary residence and a vacation home. To meet the exception with respect to your vacation home, the total number of days rented must be 14 days or less, and the personal use must be days or more. 2 Example: John winters in Arizona each January and February at a condominium he owns. He rents the property for two weeks during December for $2,500. The payment is not taxable or reportable. 2 IRC Sec. 280A(g) 4 August 29, 2017

6 Example: Amy s primary residence is in Newport, Rhode Island. During the annual Jazz Festival, she rents the house out for 2 weeks and stays with a friend. The $5,000 rent payment is neither reported nor taxable. Expenses incurred related to tax-exempt rental payments are not deductible. Self-Rentals This is an area of taxation which is often misunderstood, and where tax practitioners have the reporting wrong. Often a client will have an operating business and own the real estate where the business is located. As a matter of tax planning, competent tax professionals will advise the client to place the real estate in a separate entity, often an LLC. The property becomes a self-rental when the owner of the property materially participates in the entity renting the property. In such case, the following special rules apply: 1. Income from the rental is reclassified as non-passive 2. Losses from the activity continue passive treatment 3. Credits flowing through from the entity remain passive 4. Activities remain non-passive The effect of this rule is to not allow the self-rental to generate income which could offset passive losses. COURT CASE: A married couple owned and materially participated in two S corporations. The taxpayers rented real estate to the two corporations. One of the rental activities generated income, while the other generated a loss. The Court determined that even though the two rentals constituted an economic unit under IRC 469, the self-rental rule 3 made the gain nonpassive. The passive loss was not available to offset that gain. 4 3 Reg (f)(6) 4 Carlos, 123 T.C. No 16 5 August 29, 2017

7 In the case of a jointly owned property rented to one of the spouse s businesses, the taxpayer may deduct 50% of the rental expense. That income is reported by the non-business owner spouse. COURT CASE: A married couple reported $18,000 of rental income on schedule E, paid from the husband s unincorporated law practice. He deducted the $18,000 on his Schedule C. The IRS disallowed the entire amount at examination under the self-rental rules. However, the Tax Court held that the wife was entitled to ½ of the proceeds, whether paid by the spouse or a third party. Therefore, the husband was allowed to deduct ½ the payment as a rent expense. 5 Other self-rental issues 1. Income in excess of market rents can be re-characterized as dividend distributions. 2. For EITC purposes, non-passive self-rental income is disqualifying investment income. 3. Self-rental is not portfolio income; no deduction of investment interest expense allowed on form When an S-Corp pays rent to an employee for a home office, the activity is a self-rental. When is a rental not a rental? 6 An activity is not a rental activity if any of the following apply: 1. The average rental period is seven days, or less. 2. The average period of customer use is 30 days or less, and the taxpayer provides significant personal services. This applies mostly to a hotel/motel setting. 3. Customer use of the property is incidental to the performance of personal services. For example, the rental of a hospital room is 5 Cox, 123 T.C. Memo Reg. Sec T(e)(3) 6 August 29, 2017

8 incidental to the receipt of medical care provider by health care professionals. 4. The property is available for nonexclusive use by customers during defined business hours such as a golf course or theme park NOTE: Although these activities are not considered rental activities and are not passive activities BY DEFAULT, the tax practitioner needs to consider the material participation requirements in determining whether the activity is passive or non-passive. Timeshare Units The tax treatment of a timeshare depends on the use by the owners. However, tax professionals need to keep in mind that the owner of a time share owns just that, a share, of the property. Personal Use Timeshare When the time share is used for personal use and not held-out as a rental, 7 property taxes can be deducted on schedule A. Typically, timeshare owners are sent a monthly maintenance bill which may include tax. Other personal expenses, such as utilities and insurance, which are included in the maintenance payment, should not be deducted. When a timeshare is mortgaged, the interest expense can be deducted on Schedule A as qualified residence interest. This is due to the specific exception in the mortgage interest provisions, which provides that a dwelling unit (including a timeshare) which is not held out as a rental is automatically considered a personal residence for mortgage interest deduction purposes. 8 Timeshare held for rental A taxpayer who rents a time share unit to others is likely to be subject to the IRC 280A vacation home rules which limit the tax deductions allowed. This is due to the required application of the 14-day/10% test to the unit as 7 IRC Sec. 164(a)(1) 8 IRC Sec. 163(h)(4)(A)(iii)]. 7 August 29, 2017

9 a whole 52 weeks. All personal use days of all owners need to be taken into account. 9 Prop. Reg A-3(f)(5) requires timeshare owners to apportion expenses between personal and rental use based on the use of all unit owners during the year. This is likely not obtainable, so what is a practitioner to do? Using whichever allocation the practitioner deems appropriate (or finds available), the timeshare owner calculates his allocable rental expenses (including interest and taxes) and deducts those expenses up to the amount of rental income on schedule E. 10 The personal portion of the taxes are deductible on schedule A. The personal portion of any mortgage interest expense can be deducted on schedule A to the extent it qualifies as personal residence interest, if personal use exceeds the greater of 14 days of 10% of the rental days. Only the individual unit owner s days count for this purpose. 11 An interesting Tax Court case argues that the personal portion of the interest expense qualifies as deductible investment interest. 12 Tangible personal property Rent for tangible personal property is generally considered a trade or business. The income is reported on schedule C. Depending on the state and the specific rental, sales tax may be owed on the rental income. Occasionally, a contractor may issue two forms 1099-MISC to laborers, with one identified as non-employee compensation, and the other as rents for tools or a truck. Likely, such an arrangement is a combination of a misguided attempt to reduce the subcontractor s self-employment tax, and potentially reduce the payer s workers compensation costs. 9 Fudim, TC Memo Prop. Reg A-3(f)(6) 11 Temp. Reg T(p)(6) and Temp. Reg T (p)(3)(iii) 12 Moore v. Commissioner, TC Memo August 29, 2017

10 While the reporting documents suggest that the payments are rent, they do not belong on Schedule E when not related to real property. In the stated example, the occasional rent payment for the one-time use of tangible personal property MIGHT be considered other income, taxed on line 21. However, with the Internal Revenue Service s increased vigilance in misclassified trade or business income on line 21, the practitioner needs to consider the time and energy responding to a notice with the additional self-employment tax potentially owed. The client should be looped into the decision. When a rental is self-employment income? Generally, rental income from real estate is not subject to self-employment tax since it is excluded from the definition of net earnings from selfemployment. 13 Like all good regulations, there is an exception. An individual who is a dealer in real estate is subject to SE tax. A dealer in real estate is an individual who is engaged in the business of selling real estate to customers. A good example would be an individual who subdivides a large parcel of land into building lots and sells those lots to others. Another example is a homebuilder. Homes constructed for resale to others are included in the home builder s inventory. If due to an oversupply of spec homes, the builder chooses to rent some of the inventory homes, the rent would be subject to SE tax. If the same dealer had other real estate purchased as a rental, they would not be subject to self-employment tax. Married Couple Owned Rental Property A rental property not held through an entity and jointly owned by a married couple is generally classified as a partnership for federal tax purposes. For years beginning after 2006, The Small Business and Work Opportunity Act of 2007 provides a simplified reporting for married couples jointly owning real property. A Qualified Joint Venture is one where the only 13 Reg. Sec (a)-4 9 August 29, 2017

11 partners are a married couple filing a joint return. When electing QJV status, the couple elects to NOT be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. The QJV election allows the taxpayer and spouse to separately report directly on form 1040 their own share of the items of income, gain, loss deduction and credits. It is worth noting that under the general rule, if the rental property is operated as an LLC (a so-called state law entity ), the partners cannot make a QJV election and must file form The exception to this rule is in the community property states, where the QJV election is allowed for state-law entities. 14 Property rented to a Family Member When a rental property is used by a family member (brother, sister, spouse, ancestor or lineal decedent), the home is considered used personally. This is true even when the tenant-relative pays fair market value. 15 However, the relative-tenant s use won t be attributed to the owner when the family member-tenant (1) pays fair market value rent and (2) uses the residence as a principal residence. Example: John owns a house that he rents to his daughter, Lindsey. Lindsey has no ownership interest in the property, uses it as her principal residence, and pays John a fair rental price for the property. Under IRC Sec 280A(d)(3), Lindsey s use of the house is not considered personal use by John. The property is treated as a rental property, and the vacation home rules don t come into play. Example: Marie rents a house to her mother at less than fair rental value. Her mother uses the house as her principal residence. In this situation, 14 Rev. Proc , C.B. 831, 15 IRC Sec. 280A(d)(2)(A) 16 IRC Sec. 280A(d)(3) 17 Barrabti, TC Memo Kotoqicz, TC Memo August 29, 2017

12 Marie is considered to use the house for personal purposes, since the mother pays less than fair rental value for the house. Under IRC Sec. 280A, the home is considered to be Marie s vacation home. Rental deductions are subject to income limitations. Client Defense: A client could argue that rent to a relative at a discount is still a fair market rent, since the relative is more reliable and can be found without agency or property manager fees. In Bindseil 19, a taxpayer convinced the court a 20% discount to market value was still fair rental value. Practitioner should note that arguments like this must be substantiated by the client with objective data, for example the fair market rent, actual costs of a property manager, etc.). Caution: In the case that the property rented to a relative is considered personal use under IRC 280A, a loss on the disposition is a non-deductible personal loss. 20 Caution: In the case of no rent being collected, depreciation and maintenance expenses related to the dwelling are not deductible 21 Rent paid to shareholder of an S Corp When using a home office for the operation of an S corporation, the corporation might pay rent to the shareholder. This income is deductible by the corporation and taxable to the shareholder. However, since shareholder is an employee of the company, a deduction from the income is not allowed 22. The rental income should likely not appear on Schedule E but rather line 21 for form It is worth mentioning that provided the employee is taking reasonable compensation from the corporation, the rental income is not subject to SE tax or payroll tax. In the case of an S Corporation having more than one shareholder, the payment of rent can make-up for the loss of use of the home. 19 Bindseil v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo Bindseil v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo Sandoval v. Commissioner. T.C. Memo IRC Sec. 280A(c)(6) 11 August 29, 2017

13 Unreimbursed Partnership Expenses UPE Under the general rule, a partner is not allowed to deduct partnership expenses on his or her individual tax return. A partner is not allowed to deduct expenses incurred on behalf of the partnership if the partnership would have reimbursed them. 23 An exception applies in this situation if there is a provision in the partnership agreement requiring the partner to pay the expenses out of his or own funds, or if payment of the expense is a routine partnership practice tantamount to an agreement. Example: Marta is a partner in the Firm of Bean & Pole. Her K-1, Box 1 income is $90,000 for The partnership agreement provides that the firm will pay for all expenses except these, which must be paid by the partners: continuing legal education, dues, and professional subscriptions. These items are deductible by the partner on her For 2015, Marta s expenses in these categories total $1,840. Schedule E instructions, while not authority, direct one to report unreimbursed partnership expenses from nonpassive activities on a separate line in column (h) or Schedule E, Part II. If the entity s partnership agreement states that the partnership shall have a non-reimbursement policy when expenses are incurred outside the partnership by the partner or that it does not require the partnership to pay certain expenses, the deduction may be disallowed at the partner level. 24 Absent direction in the partnership agreement, a routine practice of the partnership can be considered. 23 Bottomline Lawyers, PC, 113 AFTR 2d Hines v. Commissioner, T.C. Summary Opinion August 29, 2017

14 These allowable expenses are deducted on Part II of Schedule E as if it were an additional form K1. The result is those expenses are deducted 13 August 29, 2017

15 from partnership income above the line. It also reduces the amount of income subject to SE tax. PLANNING TIP: When the UPE brings the earned income from selfemployment below $265,000 (2015), the maximum amount allowed for retirement plan contributions is reduced. 25 Should the partner s UPE expenses include an office in the home, form 8829 is not prepared. Rather, the worksheet found in IRS Pub. 587 is used. Important Note: There is NO provision for UPE for sub-chapter S-Corps. Payments for services provided to an S Corp by shareholders are, by definition, wages from employment. If not subject to reimbursement by the corporation, reimbursed employee business expenses are treated as miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to the 2% floor. Roommates and Borders If a portion of a property is rented out to unrelated parties, and part is used for personal purposes, any reasonable method of allocating the expenses between personal and rental use is permissible. Allocation by both square footage and number of residents is permissible. Vacation Homes If during the year, a property is used for both personal purposes and rented out, the treatment of the income and expenses will depend on the amount of personal use. Dwelling units include a house, apartment, condominium or co-operative, mobile home, boat, vacation home or similar property (if the property contains sleeping space, a toilet and cooking facilities). 25 IRC Sec. 401(a)(17). 14 August 29, 2017

16 In a mixed use property, some expenses are fully deductible, including: a portion of mortgage interest, real estate taxes, and casualty and theft losses. In addition, direct rental expenses such as rental agent fees, advertising and other expenses are allocated only to the rental portion. If any of the expenses allowed in full create a loss, the loss can be deducted on Schedule E. Use of the dwelling by the taxpayer, sibling, ancestor or lineal descendent, counts as personal use of the property. As mentioned earlier, if the property is rented to a relative at fair market value, and that relative uses the property as a main home, the days are not personal use. Also, days spent substantially full time on repairs and maintenance do not county as personal days. COURT CASE: Married taxpayers rented a home to their parents. For the years in question, the appraised rental value of the property was $7,200. Taxpayers reported $8,400 of rental income. On examination, the rent was reduced to $6,000. Since this was below the FMV rent, all days were considered days of personal use by the taxpayers, and the Court disallowed all expenses except interest and taxes, which were transferred the schedule A Jackson v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo August 29, 2017

17 COURT CASE: Not to be confusing, but in another case, the taxpayer failed to prove that the rent received was fair rental value. In this case the court held that the proven rent, which was 20% below the appraised fair value, was fair value since the parent tenants were expected to take good care of the property, and the taxpayers were able to avoid continuing management fees Bindseil, T.C. Memo August 29, 2017

18 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. A new 1099-MISC for rental income You are timely filing a 2016 form In client s materials there is a MISC for $1,050 from Ferrers LLC for rents. Client does not have a rental property. After inquiry, taxpayer states that Ferrers LLC is One Fine Stay, a sharing economy website which rented his apartment for him over Christmas, while he was out of town. You enquire about how many days it was rented, and he doesn t know. He contacts the company, who replies the property was rented for a total of 7 days. a. What are your options? b. How do you report it? 2. CP-2000 for missing rental income Interesting, the same taxpayer from discussion #1 received a CP2000 in June of 2017 for his 2015 tax year. The CP2000 shows $5,685 of rental income, from One Fine Stay. The taxpayer calls and asks should I write the check for the amount shown on the CP2000, which considers the income only and no expenses? a. What other questions do you want to ask? b. How will you report this activity? 17 August 29, 2017

19 18 August 29, 2017